Mondelez opens its largest plant in APAC at Andhra's Sri City

The food campus is expected to reach an annual capacity of 2.5 lakh tonnes of production in three phases by 2020

Mondelez India Foods, a part of the $30 billion Mondelez International, today inaugurated its largest manufacturing plant in Asia Pacific, built at an investment of $190 million here.

"The multi-category food campus is expected to reach an annual capacity of 2.5 lakh tonnes of production in three phases by 2020, and employ over 1,600 people in five years," Chandramouli Venkatesan, managing director Mondelez India, told reporters.

To begin with, it will produce approximately 60,000 tonnes of Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate annually in the first phase and the company plans to use it for exports later.

"Going forward, the company will make this manufacturing facility a hub for exports in Asia," Venkatesan said.

The manufacturing plant was inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

"Mondelez International's investment in Sri City has brought in world class technology and manufacturing capability, creating jobs and strengthening communities," Naidu said.

"The company already has significant commitment to the state and has been partnering with farmers to grow cocoa in Andhra Pradesh over the last two decades," he added.

He urged the company to draw up a plan to partner the state to increase supply capabilities for inputs like milk powder and more cocoa production, and also consider setting up an R&D facility here.

Mondelez India partners over 1 lakh farmers across four states, and procures 40 per cent of its cocoa requirement from the domestic farmers.

The company sees India as a priority market and continues to invest behind brands, routes to markets and people to drive growth.

"We have already invested in 40 manufacturing 'Lines of the Future' globally and are building our 'Sites of the Future' at strategic locations like Sri City to accelerate the growth of our power brands," Daniel Myers, executive Vice President, integrated supply chain at Mondelez International said.

The Sri City site is spread over 134 acres. In addition to Andhra Pradesh, Mondelez India also operates manufacturing plants in Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.